


Transliteration 8 -  By Dark of Night

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-10-01
Updated: 2007-10-01
Packaged: 2019-02-02 02:45:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12718062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: "We are such stuff as dreams are made on" - William Shakespeare





	Transliteration 8 -  By Dark of Night

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).
> 
>  **Author's notes:** #8 in the Transliteration universe where Daniel has been downsized to a toddler with Jack as his guardian. This story follows "Taking The Air". Thanks to my betas Whisper and Mare.

_The next blast of the staff weapon hit the decorative statue he was hiding behind. Ramming a new clip into the P-90, he darted out in a crouching run, firing at Jaffa who thought they had him pinned. One last burst of staff-weapon fire breezed by him as he slid through the doorway into the corridor. Snatching a grenade from his tac vest, he pulled the pin and lobbed it into the room he’d just left. Slapping the controls on the wall, he shut and locked door. As he ran down the hallway, he heard the muffled thump of the explosion behind him. Good. That was another five Jaffa down._

_He paused at another cross corridor, trying to get his bearings. If he remembered the map the Tok’ra operative had provided, then he should head…he darted left. This damn place was virtual maze but then again, what Goa’uld strong hold wasn’t? Now where the hell were Carter and Teal’c? Once he’d gotten separated in the first attack, they should have headed straight for the secondary fallback point. Counting doorways, he ducked into the third on the left. Hopefully, they’d be -_

_“Sir!” Weapon held high, Carter popped into the room from another doorway with T-man right behind her._

_“Sit rep!” he barked._

_“Nothing in that section, sir. What about SG-3?”_

_“Colonel Reynolds also reports no joy.” He double-checked the load in the clip. It was half full, plus he had one more left. Getting in was harder than it was supposed to be, but that was Tok’ra intel for you. “They’re holding the ring room clear. SG-10 is still holding the gate.” He smiled grimly at them. “Only one section left where they could be holding him, assuming he really is here. Let’s go.”_

_As one, they moved back into the corridor he’d come from, heading further into the keep. They turned the next corner and there, in the center, stood the subject of their search. Dressed in rich brocaded fabrics, Daniel flung his hand out toward them before they could react. The crystal in the center of the gauntlet on his hand glowed. Teal’c went flying, hitting the wall with a sickening crunch, sliding limply to the floor, neck snapped. The energy beam focused on Carter, who dropped her weapon and fell to her knees with a strangled scream. Jack shouted at Daniel to fight it, fight the Goa’uald, but his eyes glowed madly. Desperate, Jack raised his weapon firing directly at his best friend until the weapon was empty, but it was no use. The personal shield made the bullets ineffective. Daniel’s laughter, twisted and distorted by the parasite using his body was the last thing he heard before it killed him._

~~~ 

Jack jerked awake, heart pounding, drenched in sweat. Shaking with the aftereffects of the nightmare, he turned on the light by the bed. Sitting up with his elbows on his knees, he put his head in his hands and tried to calm his breathing. 

Damn. It felt so real. Then again, the worst ones always did. Except that wasn’t what happened. Wasn’t how it ended. They’d gotten Daniel back, sort of. He certainly hadn’t been Goa’ulded and there were no losses on their side. He’d been so afraid of losing Daniel for good that that was how it played out each time in the nightmare. Sometimes Daniel had been turned into a host. Sometimes he was already dead when SG-1 arrived. A couple of times, Jack arrived just in time to hear a broken bloody Daniel, the pain of betrayal in his eyes, ask “Why didn’t you save me?” right before breathing his last. That version of the nightmare was the toughest. 

He glanced at the clock. Just after two a.m. He tossed back the covers. No point lying in bed. He could never go right back to sleep after any of his nightmares. As his feet hit the floor, he heard crying from Daniel’s room. Not the fitful cranky cry of a toddler needing a bottle or a diaper change, but the full-out sobbing of frightened child. 

He flicked the light on as he hurried into the room. Daniel was standing in the crib wearing his blue onesie decorated with the tiny yellow ducks. His chubby hands gripped the railing tightly. Big hiccupping sobs shook his little body as fat tears slid down his cheeks. The instant he saw Jack, he raised his arms. 

“It’s okay, buddy,” Jack said softly, “I’ve got you. I’ve got you. C’mere.” He lifted the boy out of the crib, holding him against his chest while he fished for the blanket with the other hand. Turning on the table lamp first, he shut off the overhead light then settled into the glider chair in the corner of the room and put his feet up on the stool. 

“I’m here, honey. Daddy’s here. You’re safe,” he crooned, “Daddy’s got you.” 

He smoothed the blanket over them never letting up the soothing drone as Daniel clung to him, wailing. He winced as tiny hands got a grip on his chest hair, then put his finger in the baby’s fist instead. Maybe he should start wearing a t-shirt to bed instead of just boxers. He tucked part of the blanket under the boy both to prevent more hair pulling and to sop up the tears and drool already pooling on his bare skin. With one arm supporting the crying baby, the other was free to stroke the boy’s back in a gentle rhythm that matched the movement of the chair. Gradually Daniel calmed down until he was quiet. Jack craned his head, trying to get a view of Daniel’s eyes. The baby blues were still open, but looked tired. Jack wished he'd remembered to get the binky when he got Daniel from the crib. Too late now. If he moved, he'd get Daniel stirred up. Better to see if he'd sleep just like this. 

“So,” he whispered, “it looks like we both had a bad night.” 

Daniel blinked sleepily, and put his thumb in his mouth. 

Jack rested his face against the soft blonde hair and breathed deeply. There was something about how babies smelled. It was so distinctive. Just like puppies had their own smell. Probably kittens too, though he wasn’t as familiar with those. He inhaled again. Babies smelled fresh and sweet and made his heart ache with wanting to keep them safe. He pressed gentle kisses to Daniel’s forehead and cuddled him a little closer while humming the same lullaby his grandmother used to hum for him. 

In a way, he was sorry that Daniel’s memories were still in there somewhere. Just like Jack, adult Daniel had some doozies of a nightmare from time to time. More than once, whether they were sharing a tent off world, or if Daniel was in Jack’s spare room, one of them had woken the other out of a bad one. Sometimes they’d talk. Occasionally a hug was needed. Usually just the companionship was enough. Knowing they weren’t alone. They’d sit together unspeaking until the nightmare faded enough for sleep to come again. If this little boy was having those same nightmares… 

Still humming, he checked the eyes again. This time they were shut. Daniel’s breathing was slow and even, his thumb resting in his half open mouth. 

Looking at that sweet vulnerable face, Jack felt his throat constricting as his eyes teared up. “I’m sorry, Daniel.” His voice broke as he whispered, “I’m so sorry I didn’t save you.” Rubbing his cheek against the fine hair, he rocked the boy gently the rest of the night. 

Finis


End file.
